Questions
What is the maximum length of bridge that you make?
Curved bridges: 15’9″ (4.8 metres)
Flat bridges: 15’9″ (4.8 metres)
Ramp bridges: 5’0″ (1.52 metres)
What length and width of bridge do I need?
We generally recommend, for both aesthetic and safety reasons, that the bridge length should be at least 10 inches larger than the water span for our shortest bridges (5′), and up to 1′ 6″ (0.46m) for 15″9″ (4.8m) bridges.
Every bridge we make has a standard width based on aesthetics and safety, but this can easily be changed as we keep various lengths of boards in stock. You can also be offered an alternative of grooved boards at a marginal extra cost, which provide more grip and can be useful in icy weather.
We can also apply “sand impregnated varnish” (at extra cost) which is a very effective anti-slip treatment.
What paint and stain finishes do you offer?
Your wooden bridge can be stained or painted, or left unfinished for you to complete yourself. We have a huge range of stains and paints in stock, and can easily acquire others to satisfy specific customer requests. Most of our bridges are typically stained with a dark brown preservative, which is a natural colour that blends well with the scenery in most gardens.
Are your wooden bridges only for ornamental purposes?
No, all of our wooden bridges are practical as well as aesthetic. Every bridge is designed and constructed to be tough and able to cope with several passengers.
How are your bridges constructed?
All of the beams, boards and posts on our wooden bridges are pressure treated (tanalised) with a preservative solution to weather-proof them. Without this preservative treatment, the bridges would quickly deteriorate when sited over water due to the British weather. To ensure a strong construction, the posts on our bridges are glued and screwed to the beams before the handrails are glued to the posts using dowels. On our curved bridges, the handrails are laminated out of two layers of wood – a sample is available for customers on request. The last installation job is screwing the boards on to the beams. For this job, we use zinc-plated rust-less screws with a ‘brass effect’ coating, ensuring that the screws remain intact for as long as possible.
Bridges that are over 9′ (2.74m) are of a heavier construction with thicker beams and posts, and have four posts on each side. Bridges over 12′ (3.66m) have even thicker beams and five posts on each side.
Do you make custom bridges?
Aside from our usual garden bridges range, we are also very willing and able to help our customers create a custom, non-standard bridge. If you have something special in mind, which is not on this website, then please contact us and we can discuss your special requirements with you. In the past, we have made numerous custom-made Japanese and Chinese bridges, including copies of pre-existing originals.
For special orders we ask for a deposit of 25% of the bridge price, with the remaining balance payable on delivery of the bridge.
Do you make bridges for ride-on lawnmowers?
Yes, one of our specialities is constructing garden bridges that can bear ride-on lawnmowers. For these bridges, we use extra reinforcement and thicker boards to accommodate the extra weight and ensure the customer’s safety.
Can your bridges be accessed by the disabled?
We can provide our customers with ramps to avoid the usual step up which allows disabled users to access and use the bridge. Please contact us with your specific requirements and we will advise you on what your bridge requires.
How long are delivery times?
Stock items can often be delivered within a couple of weeks, but please check with us before ordering. The main aspect that affects delivery time to our customers is if the bridge is a stock or non-stock item.
We deliver ourselves in our own van.
Does the site for the bridge require preparation work?
If site preparation is required, we can provide you with details of what is needed. Alternatively, we can prepare the site when we deliver the bridge. We would need to know in advance of our visit and we could give you an estimate of the likely cost. Site visits prior to ordering can sometimes be arranged for our customers, depending on where they are and where we are currently delivering to.